The third episode of the popular hockey romance series Heated Rivalry has shifted focus to a new couple, and a new actor is in the spotlight. Robbie G.K. made his debut as Kip Grady in the episode titled “Hunter” on December 5, 2025. This episode takes viewers away from the main storyline about Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov to explore the romance between veteran hockey star Scott Hunter and a smoothie shop barista. Robbie G.K.’s performance has viewers looking up his career, asking where he came from and what he’s done before.
The show is based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series of novels. While the show Heated Rivalry is based on the second book, Episode 3 tells the story from the first book, Game Changer. This explains why two new lead characters, Scott and Kip, stepped into the spotlight for a week. In the story, Scott is a professional hockey player who keeps his sexuality a secret. He repeatedly visits Kip’s smoothie shop, becomes convinced Kip’s drinks are a good luck charm, and they start a secret relationship.
Who Is Kip Grady in the Heated Rivalry Story?
In Heated Rivalry, Kip Grady is an out, proud gay man who works at a juice bar called Straw+Berry. This sets him apart from the hockey players in the series, who are all hiding their sexuality. Kip is an art and history lover who dreams of working in a museum, but he is currently underemployed and working as a barista. When he meets Scott Hunter, he agrees to keep their relationship a secret, which eventually puts a heavy strain on him as he is forced back into a closeted life.
Kip’s character is important to the larger story of the Game Changers world. The public romance between Kip and Scott later becomes a source of inspiration and hope for the show’s main couple, Shane and Ilya, showing them that a public life together might be possible. As one source notes, the couple eventually become “the titular game changers for all future gay hockey players”.
Meet Robbie G.K.: The Actor Behind the Barista
The actor bringing Kip Grady to life is Robbie G.K., a 29-year-old Canadian actor from Port Credit, Ontario. He attended the Etobicoke School of the Arts, a special high school where he trained in singing, acting, and dancing. His professional career reportedly began on stage when he was just 13 years old, playing Kurt Von Trapp in a production of The Sound of Music.
Many viewers may know him by a different name. Until recently, he was credited under his full name, Robbie Graham-Kuntz. He started using the shortened professional name Robbie G.K. in 2023. Fans can follow his personal updates on Instagram under the handle @robsgk.
Robbie G.K.’s Career Before Joining the Heated Rivalry Cast
Long before serving smoothies to a hockey star, Robbie G.K. began building his career on Canadian television. His first on-screen credit came in 2013 when he played Charlie in the popular teen drama and dance series The Next Step.
One of his most notable roles before Heated Rivalry was as Tempo 3 (also called Tempo) in Hulu’s dystopian sci-fi series Utopia Falls, which premiered in 2020. In this role, he was still credited under his former name, Robbie Graham-Kuntz.
More recently, audiences may have seen him as Riley, the love interest in Benito Skinner’s queer coming-of-age comedy series Overcompensating on Prime Video. His other film and TV credits include the movie Full Out, the series The Community Players, and the horror film Marry F* Kill**. He also had a role in the CBS procedural *Sheriff Country*.
On-Screen Chemistry and Character Dynamics
In Heated Rivalry, Robbie G.K. stars opposite François Arnaud, who plays the closeted hockey captain Scott Hunter. Arnaud is a more established actor, known for roles in The Borgias, Schitt’s Creek, and Yellowjackets. The two characters meet when Scott walks into Kip’s smoothie shop during a bad streak in his career. After Kip serves him a special smoothie, Scott’s luck changes, leading him to return before every home game. Their secret romance is the core of Episode 3.
“We shot a lot, like two days of sex scenes. We knew we wanted it to be sweet, sometimes clumsy, joyful, and easy, and not for an audience. Just for them to have that moment,” Arnaud said in an interview about filming with Robbie G.K..
While Episode 3 condenses much of the first book’s plot, it shows the beginning of Scott and Kip’s relationship, the strain of secrecy, and their eventual breakup when Kip can no longer handle the isolation. The episode ends with Scott preparing for an Olympic game wearing a pair of socks Kip gave him, hinting at hope for reconciliation.
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What Fans Are Saying About the Newcomer
The introduction of Kip Grady and Robbie G.K.’s performance has generated positive attention from viewers. Fans of the books were excited to see the “Skip” couple (Scott + Kip) come to life on screen. New viewers who were following Shane and Ilya’s story were pleasantly surprised by the chemistry of the new pair, finding their story “equally endearing”.
Some discussion among fans who read the books has noted differences between the show and the source material. For instance, the book includes more explicit intimate scenes between Scott and Kip. There are also character background differences, like the cause of Scott’s parents’ death. However, the core of their love story and its importance to the overall series remains intact.
With his role in Heated Rivalry, Robbie G.K. is stepping into a much larger spotlight. The show has become a major talking point since its premiere, and his portrayal of the kind-hearted, patient Kip Grady is a key part of its expanding universe. As the series continues to release new episodes every Friday on HBO Max and Crave, viewers will be watching to see if Scott and Kip’s story gets further development and how it influences the main characters’ journeys.
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